Forever Yours
by WinryRockbell6390
Summary: Hundreds of years have passed and Vincent & Nanaki are the only living AVALANCHE members left. When Vincent begins to lose sight of his family and fall back into his angsty lifestyle, will one 16-year-old girl remind him the importance of family? Ch.2a up
1. Chapter 1a

**A/N**: Okay, this is the result of plot bunnies roaming on Deviantart. ^^  
Also, the rating may change. It only started off as "K" because nothing really happens in the first few chapters. But be wary that the rating may raise. (At this point, the worst will be "T." I'll post it in another chapter if that ever may change.

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the idea for this story. The original idea belongs to Sana-Sama on . Check her out, she's amazingly awesome. I just borrowed the idea from her one-shot, tweaked it, and created a multi-chapter story. It's totally with her permission, too. Also, I don't own Vincent Valentine, Nanaki, or any other Final Fantasy VII references in this story. The only things I, myself, own are the many members in Vincent, Yuffie, and Nanaki's family (ones not mentioned in the games or movies) and some of the new towns that I've thrown in there for plot purposes.

**Full Summary**: A little over 400 years have passed since the adventures of AVALANCHE, and they have become nothing more than legends. Unbeknownst to anyone but their families, Vincent Valentine and Red XIII still live. Vincent has changed in a lot of ways, but Nanaki now thinks Vincent may be going into a recession. But will one 16-year-old girl remind him that family is the most valuable thing in one's life?

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Chapter 1

Soft padded, shoe-covered feet treaded the flight of stairs that led to the small apartment that housed her target. Bounding over the last two steps, the oriental girl approached the door, tweaking with it a bit before making her way inside.

Biting back a chuckle, she snaked her away around the rather roomy apartment from her family's past. Over the years, each resident within had moved away, leaving with time. After a while the landlord had handed over the deed to the building to the girl's grandfather of times past. Beautifully, he had refurbished the building, turning the rundown apartment complex into a multi-level home. Why, the girl didn't understand nor did she care. She knew where her target was hiding either way.

Finally reaching the back room, her hand froze over the door the keypad that accessed the room. "Come in, Yuffie." A deep voice had said from the other side. Yuffie groaned, plugged in the access code, and stormed into the room.

"Can't you humor me for once, Grandpa?" The sixteen year old grumbled.

The man smiled from behind his book at the only desk in the room. Looking up at his granddaughter, his eyes lit up slightly at the sight of the girl before him. She was the spitting image of her great-great-great-great-great-great grandmother. Shoulder-length dark brown locks threatened to cover sparkling maroon eyes, eyes that have been passed down in her family since the times of Meteor.

"I humor you all the time, young one," the girl's grandfather said, closing his book, "now. Does your father know you're here?"

Yuffie averted her eyes to the ceiling, "well, about that…"

A sigh came from the occupant of the desk, "Yuffie…I dare not imagine the tirade my grandson will go through once he finds out…"

Stomping her foot, the Wutianian girl frowned, "aw, Grandpa! Daddy's always making me stay home! He's more paranoid than you about this 'Viral Stigma.' Not even Uncle Red is worrying about it!"

"Because 'Uncle Red' is immune to such a plague," an elegant eyebrow rose, "He need not worry about his family catching such a human-transferable disease. You, on the other hand, are very susceptible to it. Which is why your father and I worry about you. Do you see your brother—"

Yuffie sighed, "you sound like daddy, Grandpa."

The elderly – but by no means physically 'elderly' – man chuckled, "as I should. Just as you should be heading home before he 'blows his cap.' "

"It's 'blows his top,' Grandpa," Yuffie huffed, exasperated by her grandfather's sad attempt at slang, "For Gaia's sake, don't try to be cool now. It's not your thing."  
Fighting off another chuckle, the man stood from the desk, "I'll keep that in mind. Now, call your father."

Giving him a sour look, she pulled out a small square contraption. Pressing one of the ten buttons on the top, it folded out into a phone. Pressing another button, she waited for a signal and put the receiver to her ear. "…Daddy?" A lot of yelling. "Heh…sorry, daddy. I really wanted to see Grandpa—" More yelling. "I know, I know. And I was careful!" After a bit more yelling, Yuffie handed the phone to her grandfather.

The man took it and put it to his ear, "yes, Kyoshi?" A slight pang in his chest reacted to the name. _She always wanted to name their first son 'Kyoshi'…_

"Grandfather, please, please, PLEASE, knock some sense into that girl!" The man chuckled at how similar his grandson was to his late beloved. "What if she had encountered someone who was infected?"

"Calm down, Kyoshi," the man said. "She said she was careful. I know you care for her well-being, but don't forget to show her a bit of trust as well."

The man sighed on the other end, "geez, Grandfather. Do you always have to take her side?"

Glancing at the waiting girl, a small smile graced his features, "always. What kind of grandfather would I be if I did not spoil her?"

Kyoshi laughed on the other end, "true, true." His voice lowered to one of curiosity, "are you coming to the family reunion? It'd be nice to have you there for once…"

The man's smile faded almost instantly, "I'm sorry, Kyoshi…"

"I'm sure Grandma Aeris would be glad to see you," Kyoshi's voice held a hint of sadness in it, "she hasn't seen you in almost twenty years, you know…that's when you stopped coming…"

Aeris Valentine-Marlow was his great-great- great-great granddaughter. Elderly past his physical one, she had adored her grandfather just as much as Yuffie did. It pained him that he hadn't seen her in so long, but he couldn't build up the courage to face his happy family. _How could they be happy knowing the curse I'd unknowingly bestowed upon them…?_

It was true, he had passed on longevity to his children, and it tore him up inside to know anyone with the Valentine blood would outlive their spouses. He didn't wish that pain upon anyone…and he passed it on to his precious children. _Her children…_

"…Vincent?" He snapped back to reality at Kyoshi's voice. He only called his grandfather by name when he was absolutely serious. "…Yuffie would really like it if you would come. I know she would."

The pang in Vincent's chest seemed to worsen. He took a breath and said, "I'll get back to you on it, Kyoshi. I'll send Yuffie back to Nibelheim." Before his grandson could answer, he closed the phone with the push of a button. It reverted back to its original box form, and he handed back to the awaiting hand of Yuffie Valentine.

Said girl had a frown on her face as she put the contraption away, "I have to go home, don't I?"

Vincent gave her a small smile, "I'm afraid so."

Yuffie nodded wordlessly. She looked at him her maroon eyes shining, proof of the mako-induced curse that Vincent plagued himself so harshly for, "will you…come to the family reunion?" When he didn't respond she grabbed the sleeve of his black button-up shirt, "please, Grandpa? It'd be so much funner with you there! And daddy and mommy would like the whole family to be there…that includes you, Grandpa…please?"

Vincent placed a hand on her head, consoling her, "I'll think about it." Seeing the smile rise to her face, Vincent cringed mentally. He hated to lie to his family, but he just couldn't face them. Shaking the rising guilt from his throat, he turned her towards the door, "now, let's get you a ride home."

Yuffie grinned, "That's okay. I brought Chaos." Again, Vincent mentally cringed. Chaos was the bike his beloved—his Yuffie—had spent almost a year trying to fix up. She even ran to Cloud for help more than a few times. Yuffie's brother, Ren, was a tinker for old bikes and kept the thing running after Vincent had passed it on to his grandson, Kyoshi's father, Godo III.

"Just be careful," Vincent said with genuine worry, "the number of Stigma victims keeps rising…please, for both your parents and my sake, don't be reckless."  
Yuffie just smiled at him before running out of the apartment, a distant "promise!" heard in the background.

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**A/N**: And there's chapter 1. Please Review so I know if people actually LIKE this story or not, please. :( I'd be most appreciative!


	2. Chapter 1b

**A/N**: I forgot to mention this in the other chapter, but the story will go in a strange format. Each chapter will be seperated into "halves." The first half will take place 400 hundred years into the future (the present) and the second half will take place after the events of Omega and Deepground (the past). The format itself was inspired by a play I saw: Stop Kiss. The play was set up where the odd numbered scenes were the past (during the time the two girls had met) and the even numbered scenes were the present (what happened after the hate crime). The play is pretty...out there (it revolves around a lesbian couple) but it was very interesting stage-wise. (Plus I knew the cast. lol) Anyway, read and review, please!

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Chapter 1.5

"Wakey, wakey, Vinnie!" the ever cheerful voice of Yuffie Kisaragi echoed in the room. The object of her calls groaned sleepily and turned on his side. The ninja put her hands on her hips and huffed. "Vinnie Valentine, this isn't funny!"

"It's eight in the morning, Yuffie," the normally stoic gunman said groggily, "it wouldn't hurt to get another hour of sleep."

Crawling onto the bed the brunette lay beside him, her feet swaying in the air. "Who would've thought it? The broody Vinnie Valentine isn't a morning person!"

Peeking at her from his peripheral, Vincent arched an eyebrow, "and one must wonder how you get up at such ungodly hours."

Pulling herself up, she lay across Vincent's side her head resting on his shoulder. Like that, they lay for a couple minutes, taking in each other's presence. Surprisingly, it was Vincent who broke the staring contest, rolling onto his back and wrapping his arms around the ninja.

"You won't let me sleep?" A childish shake of the head was earned from the 20-year-old Wutaian. Sighing Vincent sat up, taking the ninja with him. "Then mind letting me get dressed?"

Yuffie just grinned before kissing his nose and bounding up and out of the room. Vincent couldn't help but smile at the woman's retreating form. They had only been living together for a month but he already couldn't imagine a time where she wasn't with him.

Despite his wishes, she had been joined to his hip ever since his return after the defeat of Omega. It had annoyed him at first, but slowly grew on him. After her twentieth birthday, she had asked—more like demanded—that she move in with him. It was to "keep him from brooding his way back to that coffin in Nibelheim," as Yuffie so blatantly put it.

The two of them rented an apartment in a newly constructed town, called Foression, just outside of Nibelheim. Vincent even let her furnish the roomy apartment from head to toe.

"Vinnie," Yuffie poked her head into the room, ignoring the fact Vincent stood in the middle of the room shirtless, "breakfast is ready."

Pulling out a new shirt, the gunman nodded giving her his answer. She just smiled and left the room again. Slipping into the piece of clothing, Vincent admired the fabric. It'd had resulted from a rather hasty shopping spree that Yuffie "needed" so urgently.

Yuffie placed a plate in front of Vincent's spot at the dining table as he walked into the kitchen. The Wutaian princess blinked as Vincent sat down. "That shirt…"

Vincent stopped mid-bite and glanced down at his shirt. It was a dark green, button-up, and crisp clean. What was wrong with it?

"It's not red, black, or white," she giggled, "I'm proud of you." Vincent just shook his head at the woman before him.

They ate in silence after that. Once finished, Yuffie stood up, grabbed her plate, and began to wash the dishes. In the midst of doing the same, Vincent paused as his phone rang. Pulling it out of his pocket, he placed the receiver at his ear.

Yuffie focused all of her attention on the dishes, knowing Vincent would want a little bit of privacy. Her head perked up ever so slightly at his only response to the phone, "right." She didn't respond when he placed his dishes into the sink next to her. "Reeve needs me to go on a mission," Vincent stated simply.

"When are you leaving?" Yuffie asked.

Leaning against the counter next to her, Vincent crossed his arms his eyes focused on the wall, "as soon as possible. There may be an uprising in Kalm…more Deepground members."

Yuffie just nodded, not saying a word. Vincent's eyebrow twitched a bit in curiosity at the tiny ninja's reaction before standing upright and heading towards his room to prepare to leave.

Once the door to Vincent's room closed securely, Yuffie fell to her knees, her hands gripping the edging of the sink. "Leviathan…protect him…"

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**A/N**: There's Chapter 1.5! I'd appreciate some reviews to know what you guys would like to see happen in this story. I love plot bunnies from other people! ^^  
I'd also like to know what you think of my writing style, and any type of constructive criticism that you think would be good. I'm open to anything! (but no flames! I really want to improve as a writer and flames don't help anyone, especially not a flamer's intelligence.)


	3. Chapter 2a

**A/N**: I'm SOOO sorry for not updating this in...FOREVER. (Actually, a couple months. But it might as well have been forever.) I'm trying to keep up with all 3 of my stories. I don't want them to go discontinued. I'm sorry for the irregular updating.

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Chapter 2

The revving of the familiar old bike alarmed Vincent of his frequent visitor. It was only to be expected. Nanaki had come to visit the ex-gunman and, of course, Kyoshi would end up telling his only daughter.

As if on cue, the opening of the building complex door alerted its occupants. Vincent smirked as the Kisaragi-Valentine descendant practically jumped the poor fire-cat as he lay comfortably on the floor by the couch.

"Good to see you, too, Yuffie," Nanaki let out a low huff sound that meant to resemble laughter.

Yuffie grinned, her maroon eyes shining, "It's been a whole three months, Uncle Red! Don't those cubs of yours know how to pick up a phone?"

"I'll convey that message when we return," Nanaki snickered, in taking a slight breath as the girl released him from her death-grip of an embrace.

"…We?" The 16-year-old girl blinked.

"Yep!" a younger, livelier huff of laughter sounded from the other side of the couch. Yuffie squealed in delight and ran over to the new addition to company.

"Kororo!" Yuffie laughed as the two tumbled over, "Grandpa, why didn't you tell me Uncle Red was bringing Kororo along?"

"You never asked," Vincent and Nanaki exchanged a silent smile. Yuffie stared at the two in adoration and wonder. Friends of a past long ago, both still in such a deep understanding of the other. It had always intrigued the Wutaian girl how her grandfather was still around after all these years. Her family's own personal history book. It both delighted and tore at her.

The ex-gunman had lived alone all these years since his wife had passed on, with Red XIII's not so frequent visits to look forward to. The girl couldn't help but wonder why he hadn't been driven mad with despair at his loss.

"Yuffie?" the young fire-cat nudging her shoulder brought her back to reality. She just smiled at him.

Standing, Vincent walked into the kitchen, Nanaki in tow. The Cosmo Canyon Elder watched as his long-time friend moved around in the kitchen preparing a small meal for the four of them.

"She looks more like her namesake each and every day," Nanaki said, sitting on the ground near the dining table.

Vincent paused in his tasks and sighed, "It seems so."

"I can tell you miss her terribly, my old friend," Nanaki stated.

The ex-gunman's red eyes flashed with various emotions, his face as stoic as ever. "The pain has never died, Red."

"Have you never wished to find another love?" Vincent's eyes turned to Nanaki, his red orbs saying all that needed to be said. Nanaki just nodded, "I see. That is one of your remarkable traits, Vincent. You don't love easy…but when you do…"

The two turned to see their offspring laughing and joking around in the living area. A small smile crept to both ex-AVALANCHE members' faces at the sight. "I couldn't love another if I tried, friend," Vincent said with pride, "she gave me more to cherish in her passing than I would never have thought imaginable."

Nanaki nodded and turned to his human companion, "forget not to continue to cherish what she's given you, Vincent. If Yuffie were still around, she'd punish you in the worst possible ways for forgetting to do so."

The ex-Turk chuckled, "indeed."

The two were torn from their conversation at a strained chain of coughs coming from the young girl in the next room. Faster than he could comprehend, Vincent was at his granddaughter's side. "Yuffie?"

Yuffie shook her head, coughing fits barely letting her speak, "it's…a cold." As she reached her hand up to cover her mouth once more, Vincent's eyes widened slightly at the sight on her arm. He grabbed her wrist, pushing down her elbow-length gloves.

"Yuffie…did you run into anyone on your way here?" Vincent asked, his usual monotone voice leaking out a slight bit of his rising panic.

Covering the rash on her arm once more, she shook her head, "not today." Her coughs came harshly once more.

"When?" Vincent urged her, "When did you encounter someone?"

When her coughing didn't let up, she simply pointed to her discarded jacket on the couch. Nanaki rummaged through the pockets with his muzzle, pulling out a letter. He dropped it instantly and sneezed. Vincent looked at his friend curiously. "The stench of the Stigma is all over this, Vincent," the fire-cat sneezed again.

His heart speeding up slightly in panic as realization dawned on him, Vincent picked up the coughing girl, "Nanaki, Kororo, please contact my grandson. I'm taking Yuffie to the hospital." Kororo nodded for his father, who still was sneezing the aforementioned disease-stench out of his nose.

Wasting no time, Vincent leapt over several flights of stairs and burst through the building door onto the streets of Foression. Bounding his way through the streets, he hurried into the city hospital demanding to see a doctor.

Once Yuffie had been placed in a room and was being checked by a doctor did Vincent begin to relax. _She's just as careless as…_

His phone vibrating in his pocket turned him from his thoughts. Pulling out the contraption, he pressed two buttons and put it to his ear. "Vincent, what's wrong with Yuffie!?" Kyoshi's frantic voice sounded through the phone.

"A doctor is looking at her now," Vincent said with a sigh, "Nanaki uncovered a contaminated letter. We believe it may be the Viral Stigma."

A string of curses in Wutaian sounded on the other end, only to die off when someone else took hold of the phone. "Vincent?" The gentle voice of Elmyra Valentine, Kyoshi's wife, came through the phone. "How is she?"

"I don't know," Vincent answered honestly, "I have yet to talk to the doctor."

A small crash was heard on the other end of the line. Kyoshi's voice could be heard somewhere in the background, "I'm on my way, grandfather! Keep Yuffie safe!"

Vincent mentally sighed at the irrational actions of his grandson, "Elmyra, please tell Kyoshi that everything is under control. No need to jump to conclusions."

He could almost hear the mirth in Elmyra's voice as she tried to calm her husband down through the phone. "Mister Valentine?" Vincent looked towards the entryway to the E.R. room to see Yuffie's doctor.

Closing his phone, Vincent walked up to the doctor, "how is she?"

The doctor gripped his notebook tighter, making Vincent frown in anticipation. He didn't like the looks of this. "It seems that she's been infected with the Viral Stigma as you has suspected," the doctor said, adjusting his white coat. "Apparently she came in contact with it quite some time ago."

"How long ago?" Vincent asked.

"Probably a month or so," the doctor answered. Rubbing his temples, the doctor seemed rather distressed, "are her parents going to arrive anytime soon?"

"I will relay whatever information you tell me to them." Vincent urged, "how bad is Yuffie's condition?"

The doctor's eyes seemed to dull a bit, a sure sign of closing himself off from the situation. Never was that a good sign. It foretold… "I'd give her a week or so."

Vincent's shoulders slumped in shock. She was just fine a few hours ago…how could it get so bad? The doctor cleared his throat and continued, "the stigma's progressing faster than normal, I'm afraid. I've only seen such progress on a few people, namely those who have been exposed to excessive amounts of mako. Has she ever suffered from mako poisoning?"

Vincent's blood ran cold. Back up until he hit the wall, the ex-gunman fell to the ground, his eyes not seeing the doctor in front of him. This virus was killing his child, and it was progressing faster than it normally would because of her blood. _His _blood.

Burying his head in his hands, he released a cry of anguish that shook him to the core. He'd cursed her. He'd cursed her _children_, her legacy. Not only did he set up her children to live a long life of pain, he had made them susceptible to a short but painful death by the hands of this rapidly spreading epidemic.

What more could his very presence do to kill what his dear Yuffie had spent so long to birth?

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**A/N**: There's Chapter 2! I'm not getting many hits or reviews on this story, but I think it's a cute idea! D: For those of you who are reading it, I'd really like to know if you like it/hate it and what you like/hate about it. That way I'll know where to go and where to improve!


	4. Chapter 2b

**A/N**: I swear, I'm TRYING to get better on updating!

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Chapter 2.5

The light of the lamps illuminated the room in a soft glow. The sun had set an hour previous and had cast the apartment into darkness, except for the small bedroom in the back. Yuffie sat on the bed glancing out the window, her cell phone gripped tightly in her ink-stained hands.

For the past three months Yuffie and Vincent had kept in contact via written letters. He had stopped taking calls once the WRO began their undercover missions. Even though they wrote back and forth, Yuffie had no idea where on the planet he was. Her letters went to WRO Headquarters in Edge, and from there they were sent to Vincent through a messenger.

A week ago, he'd stopped writing all together.

Yuffie understood things were getting dangerous, knew the risks. It didn't stop the worry. Sighing, she contemplated getting a glass of water and her sleeping pills. She'd begun using them after that first sleepless night. When she'd begun to be so dependent on Vincent, she'll never know. All she knew was that it drove her to near insanity with worry over his wellbeing.

She felt a shift in weight distribution on the bed and her breath caught in her throat. A gauntlet encased arm snaked around her waist and pulled her back against a strong chest. Leaning into the body behind her, Yuffie continued to stare out the window.

"Forgive me," the deep baritone of her roommate filled her ears. "I never meant for you to wait so long for my return."

Tears fell silently as Yuffie continued to stare forward, afraid that if she turned around the dream would end. "I'd wait until Leviathan called me back to the Lifestream."

His face buried in her hair, a low whisper reached her ears. "I know. But I wish to spend as much time possible with you until that moment comes."

Attempting to turn to see him, Vincent pulled her down to the bed, both of them lying on their side facing the window. "Vincent?" Yuffie piqued after a moment of silence.

"Yes?"

"…I missed you."

"And I, you."

Biting her lip, Yuffie fought with herself to say her next thought. "I lo—"

"Sleep, Yuffie." He interrupted her. Disheartened, Yuffie could only nod. Sensing her distress, Vincent pulled her closer to him and wrapped both arms around her. "A rose as pure as snow blesses a creature of night, whose eyes have been drowned in blood."

Yuffie smiled at his limerick. He had written it in every one of his letters as his closing signature. It lifted her heart to finally hear it come from his lips.

Turning in his arms, she gripped his neck and pulled him down for a chaste kiss. "Goodnight."

"Sleep well, princess." He said, kissing her forehead. Yuffie felt more tears fall from her eyes as she wrapped her arms around him.

No, she'd never need sleep aids as long as he held her like this. She'd never need any worldly possessions, not even the warmth of the sun. As long as he was by her, she could face the darkness with welcome arms.

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**A/N**: There's Chapter 2.5! Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter! I really appreciate it. :) Anyway, feel free to review and let me know what you think.


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